South Dakota Voters Approve Measure To Prevent Narrow Health Insurance Networks

On November 4, 2014, South Dakota voters approved a ballot measure (Initiated Measure 17) to prevent health insurers from implementing narrow provider organization network plan designs. Measure 17 requires health insurance plans to allow any willing provider organization to participate as in-network provider organizations. However, the provider organization must agree to the health plan’s terms and conditions, and work within the health plan’s coverage area.

South Dakota consumers were already are free to go where they please for health care, but often their insurance coverage for out-of-network care was not as comprehensive as for in . . .